Written in the 1970s, the author's African stories have lost none of their charm, immediacy and powers of transformation." "Immersing himself in the everyday life of natives and immigrants, men and women of all walks of life, Kupelian was exposed to the primal energies, the ancient customs and superstitions that dominated as much the virgin forests as the fast, sprawling urban jungles. Kupelian's first three collections of short stories form a lush, unfettered chronicle of self discovery. Like Gide, Hemingway and Green before him, he constructed narratives of profound insight and sensitivity, working against the metaphysical backdrop of the New Africa. Kupelian's heroes represent the spectrum of West African society, from the sand-sand boys and domestic helpers to the president of the republic and civil servants, from the underage murderer and illicit diamond dealer to the primeval fishermen, the sophisticated scholar of ancient Greek and golf club guru, these are the characters that allow Kupelian to depict the daily struggles, but also the complex interracial relations, prejudices and hatred that suffuse the continent.